Joseph William “Bill” Smollen III died Thursday, June 11, 2009, in a Jackson hospital. He was 73.

Mr. Smollen was a native of Vicksburg and attended the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., before receiving his electrical engineering degree from Mississippi State University. He did graduate work at Southern Methodist University and the University of California in Los Angeles and was also a frequent guest lecturer on college campuses.

For much of his career, from 1963 until 1978, he was employed  by NASA at the Marshall Space Flight Center, including service during the Apollo missions. He also served in NASA-loaned assignments in New Orleans and elsewhere, including in Mississippi after Hurricane Camille in 1969. Through 1978, he served multiple energy consulting projects, most related to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from which he retired as systems engineer.

He was a member of many civic and professional associations and recipient of numerous citations and awards for his work.

In 1995, Mr. Smollen and his wife, who grew up in Valley Park, returned to Vicksburg and purchased a historic Drummond Street tour home, which they operated as Stained Glass Manor, a bed and breakfast. He was instrumental in creation of the Mississippi Bed and Breakfast Association.

Mr. Smollen’s survivors include his wife, Shirley Newman Smollen; a son, Joseph William Smollen IV, also of Vicksburg; a daughter, Caroline Fleming of Baton Rouge; and a granddaughter, Bethany.

A memorial service will be held at a date to be set.

Fisher Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.